What If He Never Returned?
by Cae-Leigh Anne
Summary: A slight alteration on My Best Mistake, how different would Adrianna's life be if Nikolaus never returned from Greece after his mother's funeral.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a one shot that is connected to one of my stories, 'My Best Mistake', I highly recommend reading that one beforehand since this won't make a lot of sense but I can't stop you from reading this. This is just how I think Dri's life will play out if Nikolaus didn't return from Greece after his mother's funeral.**

Adrianna POV

Senior field experience was starting tomorrow and I still haven't received word from Nikolaus since the morning after the New Years Eve party when he rang me just to talk. I still don't know what to do around him but I was going try and I was going to keep in mind what James said, Nikolaus trusted me enough to tell me what happened and it should have been obvious he wanted me to be there for him.

My phone beeped and just thinking it would any one of the other senior novices wanting to talk about tomorrow, I ignored it. I didn't want to talk about tomorrow, I didn't want to think about what would happen tomorrow. I knew I was being allowed to participate since Alberta herself had been taking most of my sessions, she said it was because no one else was available where as I believed it was because she wanted to see where I was at in terms of where she believed I should be at.

It wasn't until it was time for me to go to sleep that I finally picked up my phone to set my alarm and I noticed that the message I received earlier was from Nikolaus and not another novice. I smiled at the thought of him of finally being back but it wasn't until I read the message that my heart broke.

 _I hate that I'm doing it this way but it needs to be said. Dri I'm not coming back, I'm staying here away from the life we are forced to have._

 _I'll miss you more than anything xo_

I stared at my phone not believing what he sent me was true, it couldn't be true I needed him to come back. I needed him to be here, he promised he would help me so I could graduate with my friends. I might be able to participate in field experience tomorrow but what about after that? How am I going to make it to the final trials without him?

I dialled his number hoping more than anything he would answer but it went straight to voicemail making me believe he had turned his phone off. I couldn't take it, I got off my bed and headed down the corridor to where Emily was staying.

"What's wrong?" was the first thing out of her mouth when she noticed I was crying.

"He's not coming back" I sobbed out before putting my arms around and crying against her.

She managed to pull us both into her dorm and into her bed before she asked what I was on about.

"Who's not coming back?"

"Nikolaus, he sent me a message. He's not coming back, he's staying out there"

"Why did he tell you that?"

Since he wasn't coming back I didn't see the point in keeping this secret from my friends, I told Emily everything that had been going on the last few months and she was shocked that he felt the same for me but she couldn't believe that was the goodbye I got. I eventually fell asleep in Emily's bed with her.

The next few months were hard for me not having Nikolaus there to help through it, Field experience was hard. I ended up being paired with Emery Tarus and she made my life a living nightmare for six weeks. I didn't know how well I did with field experience, I wasn't listed in the top 10 novices and I wasn't in the top 12 to go on the field trip they all got but all I knew was that I passed.

After that I was barely getting by in my classes, I had no one there apart from my friends but as the year went on the less they tried since they had to worry about their own work.

I was finally asked to attend a court session about what happened when I was kidnapped, I hoped more than anything that I would be able to see Nikolaus. He was there at the house, he was the first one on the scene after the gun went off. Surely he would be asked to attend.

"What do you mean he's not coming?" I was standing there in Rose and Dimitri's living room.

"The Guardians can't find him Dri, every time they go to where his family is they say he came back but he never got on the plane with the tickets that Alberta sent him"

"I thought he loved me" I collapsed into the couch and it wasn't long before Rose had her arms around me.

"I know and I'm so sorry you're feeling like this, I honestly thought he would come home. I didn't think he would stay there away from you otherwise I wouldn't let him leave and hurt you like this"

"Why won't the pain go away?"

"I don't know Dri but I know what it feels like, after I thought Dimitri was killed and then when I found out he was turned the pain was immense and I'm so sorry you have to go through that"

Rose and I sat there like that for a while before we had to go, I was still scared about what was going to happen to me but in the end I was only charged with self-defence but no repercussions due to my history with Michael.

Graduation came and I was placed somewhere in the middle of my classmates and I was proud with how well I did considering everything that had happened to me in the last 18 months. I just couldn't believe how badly everything affected my grades but I was just glad I was out, I was kind of hoping now that I had graduated I could escape the world but when Guardian assignments were realised and I saw that I was paired with Stefan to help protect James that was the only upside. I was able to help protect a friend with my best friend but I was disappointed I was losing Emily and Carter. They were both placed with Moroi who lived in Europe, I would hardly get the chance to see them.

 _5 years later_

I couldn't believe I was still a Guardian after five years, still paired with Stefan and I was lucky to not have lost any of my friends yet. I was able to see Emily and Carter on the rare occasion but I saw Belle, Lucas and Jeremy more often.

James had been incredible in these past five years, he knew there were still moments when I would break because of what Nikolaus did. I honestly thought after this long I would have gotten over him and moved on but I was still in love with him and I wanted the feelings and the pain to go away. I think the only reason why I haven't moved on yet was because I couldn't go out and meet new guys, I was only with James and Stefan.

"Seriously James, you must be boiling out here" Stefan complained

"I agree with Stef let's go back to the hotel" it was stifling hot and if we thought it was hot we didn't know how he was handling it.

Neither of us had any idea as to what we were doing outside in the middle of summer, we were currently in Greece. To be more accurate one of the Greek islands and I hated James when he first told me this, I knew Nikolaus grew up in one of the Greek islands but didn't know which one but since we had been here for a week and I hadn't spotted him I thought maybe we were on separate islands.

"Dri…" my head snapped up at the sound of Stefan's voice, it was the same tone he had used in the past when we had come across Strigoi but it was daylight so there was no chance they would be out here.

I followed his line of sight and I couldn't believe what or more so who he was staring at, it was Nikolaus. He looked so happy and the fact that he was standing there laughing with a stunning women and when a little boy ran up to her saying 'mum, mum come look at this' my heart broke when both of them followed the boy.

"Dri if I had of known" James walked up beside me and grabbed my hand.

James had told me he felt something towards me and I wish more than anything that I could get over Nikolaus and returning the feelings but I couldn't and he understood, I felt like the worst friend to James but he knew me better than I did myself sometimes.

"How could you have known? I didn't know which island he grew up on and I didn't want to ask Rose or Dimitri to find out"

"Come on let's go back to the hotel and go for a swim" James had booked a hotel with an indoor pool for this reason and we only agreed if they had a stairwell that guests could access in an emergency.

"No" I pulled my hand out of his grasp and headed towards where I saw Nikolaus disappeared.

I needed to confront him, I needed the closer. Not only was he ignoring the Guardians attempts at bringing him back to Court he had also disconnected his phone with no way for me to contact him. I had no way of asking why he left me behind and how it wasn't killing him like it was me.

I finally found him and I saw that he was actually alone, it made this so much easier. I walked straight up to him without saying anything and punched him in the face, it also didn't take long for someone to grab me and pull me away from him. At first I thought it was Stefan but it wasn't.

Nikolaus eyed me for a moment before he said something in Greek and I was let go, I turned around and noticed it was the female that I saw him standing with earlier. A couple more things were said in Greek before the female turned and left.

 _"Dri is everything okay?"_ Stefan said over the ear piece we had in case we were split up.

"Everything's fine"

 _"Alright, I'm going back to the hotel with James. Meet you there"_

I didn't say anything to Nikolaus, I didn't know what to say. I just stood there staring at him hoping more than anything that he would say something, anything. I didn't even know if he actually knew it was me or not.

"Come on" he grabbed my arm and tried to pull me in a different direction but I pulled it out of his grasp.

"NO! You don't get a say, you were the one that left not me!"

"I know, please follow me. We can go somewhere a bit more private. Please Dri" I didn't say anything in reply but I did follow him. I didn't know what to expect to happen from this, I didn't know what he was going to say. What if he had moved on and forgotten about me?

"What are you doing here of all places?"

"James wanted to come here for a holiday"

"So you got placed with James?"

"No I'm dating James" I looked up in hopes of seeing some emotion flash through his eyes but he wouldn't look at me.

"Oh well I'm happy for you Dri"

"What about you? Is this where you grew up?"

"It is actually, funny that out of all the islands James had to pick this one"

"We didn't know"

"You're not going to tell them I'm here?"

"Why would I care about why you are still hiding out here?" I snapped at him and he finally looked at me.

"Dri, I'm trying here"

"How is this trying? You were the one that left! All I got was a stupid fucking text message saying you couldn't come back, no I love you or I'm sorry just a I'm going to miss you"

"And it killed me to send that message but I thought you had moved on, you just said you were dating James"

"I lied, I am his Guardian. Why did you leave? Why didn't you come back?"

"Because I wanted to stay here and protect the family that I had left, I couldn't lose any more people that meant the world to me"

"So what I was just strung along in hopes you could have sex with me again?"

"God no, Dri I honestly loved you"

"But yet you left, you had no problems losing me"

"And it killed me to do that, I honestly thought that after your graduation you wouldn't have been placed with a Moroi. I honestly thought you would have had a normal life and not had to worry about Strigoi"

"I have, James, Stefan and I are constantly on the move because the Strigoi want my head" It was true, the three of us were constantly moving in hopes of keeping the Strigoi away from my family, I didn't want to risk them but James and Stefan cared about me enough to risk their own lives for mine.

"Why?"

"You know Clary's pregnant?" he starred at me for a moment trying to remember who Clary was.

"The girl who was kidnapped at the same time as you?" I nodded. "Most female dhampirs get pregnant at some stage"

"To another dhampir? That doesn't happen"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that we are so different that we can conceive with other dhampirs, probably humans too. There is so much more that we can do, if hold a silver stake it slightly changes it. It makes it more painful for them, there is also a very high chance that if a Spirit user charmed the stake with Spirit and we used it, we could restore the Strigoi but we haven't tested it out yet. Clary and I are the key to rebuilding the dhampir race, that is why the Strigoi want our heads. Clary is forced to stay behind the wards at Court while I'm travelling the world"

"I didn't know"

"No you didn't, you just up and left. We could have actually had a future and a family!" I got up and went to leave but Nikolaus grabbed my wrist.

"Please don't leave" he was so quiet that my anger faltered

"Why you left me?" tears welled up in my eyes,

"And I hated that I did that. I'm so sorry I did that, I've missed you immensely Dri and I'm sorry what I did hurt you"

"It still hurts, it still hurts that you made me believe that you loved me and you up and left. I struggled to make it to graduation without you there helping me"

"But you're here guarding James so you obviously graduated"

"And I probably would have done better with you there like you promised"

"What do you want me to say Dri? I hate that I left you like that, I wish more than anything I didn't have to but I couldn't leave my family behind anymore"

"What is there for you to say? You're obviously happy with your life here, I saw you with that women and young boy"

"Dri that was my cousin and her son, I've helped her raise him while I've been here. You have no idea how much I've missed you and having you here…I don't want to lose you again Dri"

"But you left, you left me behind like I didn't mean anything to you. You can't just think the pain will go away with you apologising like that" tears ran down my cheek and Nikolaus instantly reached out to wipe away my tears but I jerked my head away from his hand. "Don't"

"Dri please let me try and make things right, I wanted to come back so many times but I didn't because I didn't know what would happen"

"You couldn't have rang me and told me or written to me"

"I didn't want them to find me, it was bad enough I was getting my family to help hide me"

"Fine, here this is where we are staying and we are still planning to be here for another week or two. I don't know why James wants to be here" I handed over one of the cards I had with the hotels details before getting up and leaving him sitting there.

I made it back to the hotel but didn't head towards the pool where Stefan and James were, I went straight to our room to have a shower before curling up on the couch and waiting for them to come back.

When they returned they both took one look at me and it was obvious I had been crying, James walked over and wiped my tears away while kneeling on the floor in front of me.

"I'm going to shower" Stefan left leaving the two of us alone.

"What happened with him Dri?"

"He said he hated what he did but he wanted to be able to be with his family and protect them, I obviously didn't mean that much to him"

"Dri he loved you, I know that much"

"But yet he still left, he kept apologising to me in hopes it would change everything, it wouldn't make the pain go away nor my feelings Jaime" I looked up at him as tears welled up in my eyes.

I don't know why James had begun letting me calling him Jaime, it was only when it was just the two of us when it was used.

"Shh it will be okay Dri" he leaned over and kissed my forehead before climbing in behind me on the couch. "Are you going to give him a second chance?"

"I want to but I'm so scared of getting hurt again, I just wish my feelings would go away so I wouldn't keep hurting you"

"Don't worry about me, I knew what it would mean when I fell for you"

"I hate that I'm hurting you Jaime"

"Its fine, maybe you should give him a second chance. The two of you could have a life out here"

"But the Strigoi?"

"Most likely won't come out here and Moroi hate coming here, it's why I chose to come here. We wouldn't be found here"

"You are seriously telling me to give him a second chance and run off on you?"

"Our flight home is going to Athens before straight to the airport near Court, come and check in at the airport with us and then come back here to Nikolaus. We'll go back and tell them we lost you in Athens, they won't think you are here with him"

"I can't seriously do this and this is all if I give him a second chance and things work out"

"You won't know unless you try Dri"

"Maybe" I pulled away from him and we both sat up and focused back on the T.V

It was a week and a half later and I had given Nikolaus a chance, we hadn't fallen back into what we were but it was enough for us to catch up and fill each other in on what had happened in our lives for the past five years, mine was filled with constantly being on the run and barely seeing my family while he's consisted of working and helping his cousin raise her son when he was home from school.

Most of it consisted of us meeting up at Cafes, restaurants or even parks. There had been a couple of kisses here or there at the end of our meetings and both Stefan and James were glad that I was happy again

"I can't believe you're leaving tomorrow"

"You knew I was leaving eventually"

"What if there was a way you didn't"

"You mean run away like you did?"

"Dri"

"Don't, you ran away to be with your family. I will be running away from mine, there is a difference"

"I know but you said yourself you rarely see your family"

"But if I run away I won't ever get to see them"

"There are ways around it, you will still be able to contact them. Maybe you could organise trips away from here and meet them somewhere"

"Dad might be willing to protect me but what about Shane and Nathan?"

"Shane protected the knowledge of me being in love with you, he might protect this"

"You can't seriously be telling me to consider this"

"Are you telling me you aren't happier after having spent all this time with me? I've noticed the change in you"

"This is insane, I haven't even met your family and you're telling me that they would protect me"

"They're my family and they love me and I love you, they will do anything to keep me happy and having you here will keep me happy"

"You're insane, we both know what happens to Guardians that run away and get caught"

"Then we won't get caught" the smile on his face made me happy, it didn't matter if I had seen him happy with his cousin and nephew after that first conversation I knew he wasn't all that happy but now, I could see the difference.

"This is insane"

"Dri" Nikolaus got up and walked closer to me before cupping my face and kissing me.

I had honestly missed kissing him, this kiss changed everything. It was like him leaving never happened and I hated that I had forgiven him for hurting me as bad as he did but there was nothing I could do. He had proven that he didn't want me to leave and that he still loved me.

"You seriously want me to stay and hide out here?"

"Yes, please Dri. I love you and I want you to stay"

"I can't believe I'm even considering it, I will lose my family"

"Adrian can reach you in your dreams along with James, you will still be able to contact them and I promise we will find ways for you to still see them"

"And if I lose them?"

"You said yourself that Clary is pregnant and we will be able to make our own family, we will"

"Who said I wanted a family? I'm on the run from Strigoi Nikolaus, they want me dead"

"I will protect you"

"Nikolaus"

"Dri falling in love with you was my best mistake but leaving you was my worst mistake. I can't lose you again but you know I can't follow you back"

I stared at him at a complete loose of what to do, I didn't want to lose my family but I didn't want to lose Nikolaus. Which would hurt more?

I knew he was right when he said I could still see James and Adrian in my dreams but will it make up for rarely being able to see them in person?

It was currently time for us to leave and I was sitting in the airport with James and Stefan.

"Are you sure you can do this Dri?" I looked over at James and shook my head.

"I don't know if I'm doing the right thing, I will lose my family at some point"

"I promised you I will visit you in your dreams, I know what the time zone is here. I will adjust so we can visit you and I will tell you dad the truth he will make sure the truth doesn't get out, if he still doesn't believe this is the right thing I can show him the difference in you just from spending this short time with him" I shook my head as my eyes welled up, I hated that I was doing this but they were right, there was ways around me not being able to see my family and after five years there was no way Nikolaus could come back.

"James it's time for us to go" Stefan spoke and we both looked at him

I got up and walked over to Stefan and hugged him, "I'm going to miss you Stef"

"I'm going to miss you as well but I will visit and we will keep in contact. Remember destroy your phone and get a new one and contact me"

"I promise, the phone is already off all I have to do is get the numbers off"

"Good, I spoke with Emily and she said she's coming out here for her next holiday"

"Thanks Stef" I pulled away and gave him a smile before turning and looking at James. "I hate that you are forcing me to do this James"

"I'm not forcing you to do anything, you are doing what's right for you Nikolaus is who you are meant to be with"

"What about you? You need a new Guardian"

"I'm thinking of asking for Emily hopefully she will be allowed to swap"

"I hope so and I hope you can move on have a family you deserve"

"You too Dri, I really need to go. I will be in touch and I'm going to miss you like crazy" James pulled away and gave me a smile before doing the one thing that shocked me, he leaned over and kissed me.

James noticing my shock when he pulled away just laughed before speaking. "I had to just once, go now and I will convince them you are on the plane. Go back to Nikolaus"

I stood and watched as they both got on the plane before ripping up my ticket and throwing it in the trash. I left airport and headed back to the town Nikolaus was living in, I did everything we all planned out I left the car at the airport and took a taxi back paying with cash after I had destroyed my cards. We had spent the last couple of days organising to have all of my money transferred from an account that Court knew about into a new one I could access without worries.

I raised my hand and knocked on the front door, the shock on Nikolaus' face when he opened and saw me standing there with my bags was amazing. I hadn't told him that I was doing it, I just kept telling him I wasn't sure and until that moment in the airport I was still worried I was going to change my mind.

"I'm glad you are here, come on come meet my family" he grabbed my bags from me and allowed me to follow him inside.

 **A/N: There is more to come but for now you will have to wait until My Best Mistake is finished.**


	2. Chapter 2

Adrianna POV

 _15 years later_

"Mum grandpa is here" I heard the voice belonging to my daughter after she was banging on the door.

I groaned before rolling over and leaned into Nik, "He's early" Nik just laughed in response before lifting his head.

"Actually we slept in Dri" Nik finally spoke and I loved how husky his voice sounded in the morning like this.

"I guess we should get up" I complained but didn't move, I looked up at Nik and pouted. It was the middle of winter and I knew the kids wouldn't have put the heater on yet so the house would be cold.

There was more banging on the door, I didn't know who to expect this time. "Dri you better out of that bed, I didn't sit on a plane for 15 hours just for you to ignore me" dad spoke surprising us both but we both knew he wouldn't come into the room.

"Bugger off dad" I yelled back but Nik just shook his head before kissing my forehead and getting up.

I laid there and watched as he shivered when the cold air touched his body, we might not endure the same training we did 15 years ago but we were both still in shape and his body was still as perfect as it was 15 years ago. "Nope I'm not getting out if it's cold"

"It's not cold, we've been in worse Dri come on. You don't even know who is here, all you know is your dad is" I pulled a face at him but got out of bed knowing he was right.

We never knew who exactly was turning up to visit, all we were given was a date and a time and we worked with it around our schedules. As of right now we were living in Australia, we left Greece after too many Guardians kept turning up convinced we were both there and it wasn't long after that that Strigoi started turning up in hopes of finding me. We both agreed somewhere they wouldn't expect would be the best.

We decided on Australia because neither of us had any connections to it, it didn't matter if I grew up in Australia everyone knew I hated it in Melbourne because of the rough upbringing I had and Nikolaus had only been once, with me all those years ago.

We weren't living in Melbourne, we were living up north in the Gold Coast and had been for the past 10 years. We didn't want to keep moving around with the children, it would be too hard on them. It was bad enough we were moving for five years before settling down with them here.

We had three beautiful children, two boys and a girl and my poor daughter was the youngest with two incredibly protective older brothers. The oldest was Kostas and he was a splitting image of Nik, he was almost 15 since I fell pregnant not long after I decided to stay in Greece with Nik.

Next was James and he was a mix of both of us, he had my facial features with Nik's colouring. We had named him James because we were grateful to James, if he hadn't agreed to go to Greece like he did or even convince me to give Nik a second chance or even stay after that we wouldn't be here. Hell even before all that James was secretly pushing us both together while we were still in school. James was 13, I fell pregnant when we were still moving around trying to find somewhere to settle down.

And of course the youngest was my daughter, her name was Ashleigh named after my mother. She was a splitting image of myself except for the hair, she had blonde hair something which was what my mother had when she was younger but I'm assuming she began dying it to be taken more seriously because the photos of her older has her as a brunette. Ashleigh was 9 and I fell pregnant with her once we had settled down in the Gold Coast.

I finally made it out into the kitchen where I hoped the children were having breakfast and not burning the house down. I walked in with the idea of checking on them and making sure they weren't fighting with each other but I stopped at the sight of who was actually here.

Dad was standing there with Stefan, Emily and James along with Emily and James' two children. They all laughed at me.

"Dri" both girls squealed before running at me and throwing their hands around my waist.

Emily and James had twin girls, Sutton and Isabella. They were 8 and absolutely beautiful, I was their godmother and I missed them immensely I barely got to see them but I grateful for the small amount of chances I did get to see them. I'm also grateful that they understood the importance of keeping me a secret. They couldn't tell anyone except family that they saw me.

Stefan hadn't gotten married like the rest of us but I was told there was something going on with Millie but they had no children and it was hard with Stefan constantly being with James instead of her.

I kneeled down and hugged both the girls before looking up at my friends, I had missed them and it had been too long since they had come out here. I was just surprised that dad and James were allowed to come out here with only two Guardians.

"Everyone else wanted to come but they couldn't but they do send their love" dad spoke

"And presents!" James piped in and I shot my son a look. "Sorry mum" he mumbled before going back to his breakfast.

I pulled away from Sutton and Isabella before walking over and hugging my friends. The moment I was told that James and Emily had started dating I was so happy that they found each other and James was able to move on, I hated knowing that I was causing him pain by doing something that makes me happy.

"How did you all be allowed to come out here with only two Guardians?" I questioned when I pulled away as we all walked over to take a seat the dining table.

"Well since Lissa knows the truth she was able to convince Croft that we will be fine" dad replied

"That and the Guardians think we're in New Zealand, the private plane took us there and we stayed there for a day before flying out here" Emily added and I nodded.

We were all being careful about how the visits went, if they came to us they usually flew someone where else before paying for last minute tickets. If we went to them we would meet somewhere in America where they wouldn't suspect us.

The last time I saw Rose and Dimitri she said they have given up hope on us and figured we should be left alone. Everyone at Court now knew why I was hiding since the truth of Clary's children had come out, they understood why we were hiding and protecting ourselves. They assumed I had fallen pregnant and wanted to protect my own children and truth was, I did want to protect them but my children were happy with their lives and I didn't want to uproot them for something they didn't need.

Nik and I were planning on teaching them self-defence when they got a bit older just in case something did happen to them but for now they were just kids enjoying their childhood. Kostas had started his own self defence but for now it was only basics

Nik and I were getting by on bills with my inheritance and the money we were getting in from the Martial Arts studio we had opened up and been running for the past 8 years.

"Where's Alex and Shelly?" Ashleigh whined and I shook my head

"No I want Alison and Billie" I couldn't help but laugh when James joined in

Alex and Alison were Matt's children while Shelly and Billie were Nate's two girls. Alex and Shelly were Ashleigh's age and Alison and Billie were James'. Kostas felt a little left out at times when family came over since there were no other kids his age but he had his own friends and chances are it would only a take an hour or two until he was asking to leave.

I was sitting at the table surrounded by my family and it meant everything to me to have them here, I knew 15 years ago I was about never being able to see them again but we made it work and I've seen them at least once a year. I knew my beautiful were always happy to see our family and I was just glad that the Guardians had given up looking for us, it meant I could stay here and raise my children and not have them worry about anyone coming after them.

I made eye contact with Nik across the table and he mouthed 'I love you' I gave him a smile before mouthing it back at him and focusing back on the conversation everyone was having.


End file.
